PENETRATION TESTING

Penetration Testing Services for Australian Businesses

Find your security gaps before attackers do. Our certified security team simulates real-world cyberattacks across your network, web applications, and cloud environment — delivering a plain-English report and remediation support, not just a list of CVEs.

Get a Free Pen Test Quote →📞 (02) 8488 4429
ManualNot Just Automated Scans
5 daysReport Turnaround
FreeRetest of Critical Findings
OWASPIndustry-Standard Methodology
WHAT WE TEST

Full-Scope Security Testing Across Your Entire Attack Surface

We test the systems, applications, and people that attackers actually target — not just what an automated scanner can reach.

Network Penetration Testing

We simulate real-world attacks against your internal and external network infrastructure — firewalls, routers, VPNs, and servers — to find exploitable weaknesses before criminals do.

Web Application Testing

Manual testing of your web apps and APIs against the OWASP Top 10 — SQL injection, broken authentication, XSS, IDOR, and more. We test what automated scanners miss.

Social Engineering Testing

Phishing simulations and pretexting campaigns that test whether your staff can spot and report real attacks. Human error is the #1 cause of breaches — we measure and reduce your exposure.

Cloud Security Testing

Security assessment of your Microsoft 365, Azure, or AWS environment — misconfigured storage, over-privileged accounts, insecure APIs, and gaps in your cloud identity posture.

Vulnerability Assessment

A systematic scan and manual review of your entire attack surface. We produce a prioritised risk register showing every finding by severity — critical, high, medium, and low.

Detailed Remediation Report

Every engagement produces a plain-English report for management and a technical report for your IT team — with every finding, its risk rating, proof-of-concept, and step-by-step fix.

Why Australian Businesses Need Penetration Testing

The Australian Signals Directorate reported over 94,000 cybercrime incidents in the 2022–23 financial year. A growing share of those incidents targeted small and medium businesses — not because they are high-profile, but because they are easier to breach than larger organisations with dedicated security teams. A penetration test answers the question every business owner should be asking: if someone tried to break into our systems right now, how far would they get?

Unlike a vulnerability scan, which lists what software versions are installed and flags known CVEs, a penetration test replicates the techniques of a real attacker. Our testers chain vulnerabilities together, test for logic flaws that scanners miss, and demonstrate actual business impact — showing you not just that a vulnerability exists, but what an attacker could access if they exploited it.

Common findings in Australian SMB pen tests include: externally exposed admin interfaces, unpatched servers and network devices, weak or reused credentials on key systems, over-privileged Microsoft 365 accounts, misconfigured cloud storage exposing sensitive data, and web applications vulnerable to SQL injection or authentication bypass.

When Should You Get a Penetration Test?

The most common triggers for engaging pen testing are: a cyber insurance renewal (insurers increasingly require evidence of testing), a new product launch or major infrastructure change, a compliance requirement (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, or the Privacy Act), or simply the recognition that you have never tested whether your defences actually hold up against a real attack.

We recommend most businesses test their external attack surface annually, and their internal network and web applications after any significant infrastructure change. For businesses that process payments or hold large volumes of personal data, quarterly testing of internet-facing systems is a prudent baseline.

  • Meet cyber insurance and compliance requirements with documented evidence of testing
  • Identify chained vulnerabilities that automated scanners and individual patches miss
  • Understand the real-world impact of your current security posture, not just a theoretical risk score
  • Demonstrate security diligence to clients, partners, and regulators
  • Prioritise your remediation budget based on actual exploitability, not theoretical severity

What Does Penetration Testing Cost in Australia?

Pen test pricing depends on scope — the number of systems in scope, the type of testing (external network, internal network, web application, social engineering), and the depth of testing required. For Australian SMBs, a focused external network pen test typically starts from $2,499. A web application test starts from $3,499 per application. Full-scope engagements covering network, web apps, and social engineering are quoted based on your specific environment.

All engagements include a written executive report, a technical findings report, a debrief call, and a free retest of critical and high findings within 90 days. There are no hidden extras — the quote you receive covers the full engagement.

Free Pen Test Quote

Tell us what systems you want tested and we'll scope the engagement and provide a fixed-price quote within one business day — no obligation.

All engagements include a written report, debrief call, and free retest of critical findings.

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OUR METHODOLOGY

How We Run a Penetration Test

Every engagement follows a structured methodology that mirrors real attacker behaviour — with your safety and business continuity protected at every step.

1

Scoping & Rules of Engagement

We agree on exactly what systems are in scope, testing windows, emergency contacts, and what constitutes an out-of-scope finding. Nothing happens without written authorisation.

2

Reconnaissance

We gather publicly available information about your business, infrastructure, and staff — the same way an attacker would — to identify the most likely attack paths.

3

Active Testing

Our testers manually probe your systems using the same tools and techniques as real attackers. We go beyond automated scans to find logic flaws and chained vulnerabilities.

4

Exploitation & Pivoting

Where vulnerabilities allow, we demonstrate real-world impact by safely exploiting findings — showing exactly how far an attacker could penetrate your environment.

5

Reporting & Debrief

You receive a full written report within 5 business days of testing completing. We walk through every finding with your team in a debrief call — no jargon, clear next steps.

6

Remediation Support

Our security team is available to help implement fixes and answer questions. A retest of critical and high findings is included at no extra cost within 90 days.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Penetration Testing FAQs

Answers to the questions Australian businesses ask us most about pen testing.

What is penetration testing and do I need it?

Penetration testing (pen testing) is a simulated cyberattack carried out by security professionals with your authorisation, designed to find and demonstrate exploitable vulnerabilities before malicious actors do. If your business holds customer data, processes payments, operates under regulatory requirements (like the Privacy Act or ISO 27001), or relies on internet-connected systems, a pen test is a critical part of your security posture.

How is a pen test different from a vulnerability scan?

A vulnerability scan is an automated tool that identifies known vulnerabilities by fingerprinting software versions. A penetration test goes further: our testers manually attempt to exploit those vulnerabilities, chain findings together, and demonstrate real-world impact. A scanner tells you what might be vulnerable; a pen test tells you what can actually be compromised and what an attacker could do once inside.

How long does a penetration test take?

Timelines depend on scope. A focused external network pen test for a small business typically takes 3–5 days of active testing. A web application test is usually 3–5 days per application. A full internal network test for a mid-size business is typically 5–10 days. We agree on a schedule during scoping so testing happens outside your peak business hours where possible.

Will penetration testing cause downtime?

Responsible pen testing is designed to avoid causing outages. We follow agreed rules of engagement, avoid destructive actions, and alert your team immediately if we detect any unexpected impact. For particularly sensitive systems, we can test in a staging environment first or restrict the intensity of testing on production systems.

What do we receive at the end of a pen test?

You receive two reports: an executive summary for management (written in plain English, focused on business risk and priority actions) and a technical report for your IT team (with every finding, its CVSS risk score, proof-of-concept evidence, and step-by-step remediation guidance). We also provide a debrief call to walk through findings and answer questions.

Does ITEC HELP help us fix the issues found?

Yes. We offer remediation support as part of every engagement and include a free retest of critical and high findings within 90 days of your original report. Many clients also retain us for ongoing managed security services following an initial pen test, so the same team that finds the issues also manages your ongoing defence.

Find Out How Far an Attacker Would Get

Get a fixed-price pen test quote within one business day. No lock-in contracts — just honest security testing and a plain-English report your team can act on.

Get a Free Pen Test Quote →📞 (02) 8488 4429